December 2016

HMAS Adelaide - Departs Terrigal

Only a short drive north of Sydney, Terrigal offers access to one of the newest wrecks in Australia. Scuttled in 2011 after being decommissioned in 2008, the ex HMAS Adelaide sits in 32-35m of water upright, offering access for Open Water, Advanced and experienced divers.

The HMAS Adelaide was a long-range guided missile frigate built in the United States and commissioned in 1980. The HMAS Adelaide participated in the 1990/91 Gulf War, peacekeeping operations in East Timor in 1999 and was deployed to the Arabian Gulf in 2001 and 2004. The HMAS Adelaide was the second ship in the Royal Australian Navy of the same name. The first was a light cruiser in service between 1922 and 1945.

The Ex-HMAS Adelaide is now home to a healthy marine community which includes the giant eastern cuttlefish, eastern blue groper, kingfish, blennies, yellowtail, octopus, banner fish and bat fish to name a few.

Diver access holes are strategically placed throughout the vessel to allowing easy access to explore the key features of the wreck. Divers can recognise the captain’s chair, console and chart table from the bridge, helicopter hangars, the operations room and shells of weapons.